AMHERST, Mass. – The Sarah Lawrence College men's basketball team opened up the 2017-18 season Friday with an 83-51 loss to Amherst College in the opening round of the Ken Wright Tournament at LeFrak Gymnasium.

IN SHORT
Amherst (1-0) def. Sarah Lawrence (0-1), 83-51

RECAP
BJ Sanders (Silver Spring, Md./Georgetown Prep) scored the Gryphons' first basket of the season, finishing a layup while drawing a foul and completing a three-point play to give Sarah Lawrence a 3-2 advantage, its only lead of the contest.

The Gryphons struggled from the field in the first half and Amherst, a NCAA Tournament participant last season, took advantage, scoring 22 unanswered points en route to a 42-23 halftime lead. In the second half, the Mammoths expanded their lead, ballooning as large as 38 points to pick up the victory.

Four Mammoths finished with double-digit scoring totals, including Fru Che, who posted a team-best 13 points.

TOP GRYPHONS
Sanders paced the Gryphons with a game-high 19 points, including 11 in the second half, while tacking on eight rebounds and two steals. Austin Jones (Upper Marlboro, Md./Flint Hill School) reached double-figures in his season debut, recording 16 points, three rebounds and four steals. In his first collegiate game, Enike Anyia (Los Angeles, Calif./Wilbraham & Monson Academy) posted a team-best nine rebounds to go along with six points.

UP NEXT
Sarah Lawrence will conclude action at the Ken Wright Tournament on Saturday.